Home Again

I had the awesome privilege to go home the first week in July! It is always fun and exciting to go home and this time I got to meet 2 little family members for the first time!
Monday, June 28...
We arrived late Monday night after flying from Myrtle Beach -- the drive is about 1hr-45min for us but we saved a huge amount of money flying out of there than from Charleston. The flight went great except that my poor son has inherited allergy/sinus issues and his ears really started to hurt on the descent. I just held him and told him to swallow and for the first time ever told him to chew his gum like a cow - lol :) Once we were on the ground, he did great.
Tuesday, June 29...
YAY - time to meet the babies! I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I was to meet these amazing 2 babies of my cousins. They are both 1 year now and it broke my heart that I was not able to see them for that first year! They are amazing!!
Savannah is walking all over the place, she loves to eat, and you have got to see this girl dance :). She wiggles her shoulders and her hips back and forth, not your typical baby bouncing up and down dance and I loved it!
Isaac is amazing! He constantly claps for you - total moral booster! He is practicing his walking everyday and even went the length of an entire hallway when I was there! He loves to give Savannah hugs and he will yell and sing and has become very good with keeping his grandmom's pitch (which she is very proud of).
More pics to come of these precious gifts of God...

Tuesday night I got to see my cousin Matt's band - Compelled - which comes from the verse - 2 Corinthians 5:11, 13-15. They are awesome and led such a beautiful time of worship during a summer camp site for teens! Please if you have never heard them, take a listen here -- www.facebook.com/CompelledBand?v=app_178091127385 -- You may soon hear them on a Christian radio station near you :) Don't ask me why I did not take any pics - maybe because I was too busy worshipping our amazing God!!
Wednesday, June 30...
On to Mom B's for a time of swimming and relaxation. I know there are so many negatives out there about mil's but I truly have a wonderful one! Don't get me wrong, we have had our moments but she is truly a blessing to me and loves me and our kids so much!!
Thursday, July 1...
More of the same as we spent time in the pool and ate some yummy homemade potato salad! I love the fun, crazy candid (and sometimes posed) pics my kids come up with :) Warning: these pics are intermixed - some may be from Wednesday as well :)
Thursday night, I got the opportunity to speak to my cousin's Bible study group about Gospel for Asia and all that God is doing through them - I just can't help but get excited about GFA!! Please pray that God would raise our support soon so we can go be used by Him!!

Friday, July 2...
Today we woke up from mom B's and had a wonderful blueberry pancake breakfast and then my parents came to take us to see my grandparents - my kids great-grandparents. I am truly blessed that 3 out of the 4 of my grandparents are still alive! We had a great time going out to eat and just enjoying them - they are such a huge support and encouragement for us in GFA!!

OK, this pic cracks me up - my grandparents are such good sports :)

One thing that was really neat about today is that we got to go back to the house that I grew up in and take a tour! I walked up to see the house and the owners were in the back and I apologized and said that I used to live here and just wanted to see the house -- the woman said "Are you a McCool (my maiden name)?" I said yes - she said she and her husband were the ones that bought the house from my parents. She actually invited us into the house for a tour and to let my kids see where I grew up! It is weird to walk into a house that you used to live in but looks nothing like what you remembered growing up in! It was a neat treat though!
Friday night Andrew and I went to see dad play softball - yes, he is still playing softball - crazy man! It was great b/c the babies were there and I got to love on them some more!!

Saturday, July 3rd...
We had a blast Saturday! We hung out for the morning and then got to go to the Camden Aquarium that evening and for a special treat got to see fireworks over the river after touring the aquarium. We had a great time - It was Mom, me, Andrew, Kira, Uncle Dave, Aunt Lori, Matt and Kelli and Isaac, and Krystal and Savannah!! We had a blast and loved the fireworks afterwards!
Sunday, July 4...
Today we all got up and went to church - what a blessing it was to be at my family's church! A great time of worship led by my cousin Jon and his wife Bek, and then a great message. After church I headed to Krystal's house to meet another family member I had not met before - their sweet lab, Toby! After meeting Toby, it was on to my parents house for a fun-filled July 4th picnic with everyone. We ate and ate and then ate some more! We played games, watched movies, and just enjoyed being a family. Even my grandmom got to come - she is incredible and I just love her so much! These are the times I miss being so far away!
Monday, July 5...
The party continued on...
Those that could make it back to mom's on Monday were welcomed with more food and fun! Dave, Lori, Matt, Kelli, Isaac, Brent, Maria, Free, and us all had fun just enjoying each other and our time together again! More games, food, and singing were included today! Of course, no day would be complete (at least according to Andrew) without a hockey tournament :) (see pics below)
Tuesday, July 6...
Today was such a bittersweet day for me. It was the day I went home -- excited to go home to see my hubby but sad to leave my family and the kids for a month :( I miss them so much but it is the only time during the year that Dave and I ever get to really go out! I had to take some pics before I left of us together and yes, Andrew requested a mohawk the day I left - silly boy!
A big thank you to my family for such an awesome time and a big thank you to my amazing husband for giving up his wife for 8 days!!!!!!